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After driving the Avalon, I came away unusually nonplussed. Toyota's largest sedan is neither heart-racingly exciting, nor a slouch in the pants. The 2011 refresh of the Avalon is so subtle that I didn't realize it was a revised model.

Months in fleet: Ten
Miles to date: 32,650

With a 300hp AWD Turbo-charged engine, dynamic chassis and advanced stability traction control, you'll see why it's the first Volvo to be called Naughty. Check it out in a video review by Jean Jennings, Automobile Magazine's President and Editor-in-Chief. Ground breaking, exciting and credible luxury are a few words to describe the all new Volvo S60. The Volvo S60 is propelled to be more than just power and safety behind it, while maintaining a sleek and gorgeous design. Read our 2011 Volvo S60 review.

Since the GVWR of the Silverado 2500HD is so high, General Motors isn't legally required to post fuel economy figures on the window sticker. That's too bad, as it may well be a selling point. I piloted this long-bed, crew-cab, four-wheel-drive diesel monster between Howell and Alma, Michigan, averaging about 75 mph on all roads. According to the on-board computer, I averaged just above 18 mpg; a bout of city driving brought that figure to the high side of 16 mpg. That's quite impressive for such a capable machine.

The runway at Norway's Kristiansand airport has been closed for our test, and the final takeoff section has been converted into a challenging autocross course. I taxi slowly down the tarmac, turn around, wait for the thumbs-up-and give it stick. The sensation that follows can be described only as mind-boggling. After four seconds, the yellow cruise missile, with a combined 526 hp and 649 lb-ft of torque coming from its four electric motors, passes the 62-mph mark. A few heartbeats later, we tick 100 mph. Past the airport tower, the speedometer indicates 125 mph, and before the first cone appears, I swear I see 150 mph.

Months in service: Five
Miles to date: 13,437

Months in service: Five
Miles to date: 13,437

This Z4 sDrive35is (what a mouthful) has a smooth, powerful, turbocharged six-cylinder, a stellar dual-clutch automatic, and all kinds of dynamic capabilities, but I confess that I barely noticed any of that, because on the night I drove this car it was experiencing some kind of malfunction of the remote keyless system.

Recently, Toyota has given the Avalon a push, with a vaguely retro advertising campaign that extols buyers to travel "Avalon class." And while the visuals may appeal to a demographic that fondly remembers the 1950s, the ads also work because their message is built around a kernel of truth. For passengers, particularly, the Avalon is definitely a nicer-than-average way to travel.

Ford has smartly sharpened its product portfolio in the past three years, yet the same can’t be said for the Blue Oval’s supporting brands. Just this June, it was announced that Mercury would be put out to pasture after decades of carbon-copy engineering, and Lincoln’s lineup suffers from virtually the same indifference. However, Ford tells us that the 2011 Lincoln MKX is the first vehicle in a product revolution that is planned for the luxury brand’s lineup.